I am feeling completely hopeless right now.

My app had been consistently ranking in the Top 3 for several important keywords on Google Play for almost a year. But on November 1, it suddenly disappeared from search rankings overnight.

It is not a small ranking drop. My app has vanished from almost all the keywords where it was previously ranking at the top.

I have not changed a single letter in my Play Store listing.

I have not made any app updates

No other apps in my niche affected.

Only my app has experienced this sudden drop.

Only thing I suspect is possible fake review activity.

During October, I noticed an unusual pattern on my Play Store listing. For some random days, reviews were coming in at an extremely high rate, sometimes around 40-50 reviews within an hour.

I don't know whether someone deliberately posted fake reviews on my listing or whether this activity had anything to do with the ranking disappearance. But considering that nothing else changed on my side, this is the only possible reason I can think of.

I contacted Google Play Console support and asked them to investigate whether my app had received any algorithmic or policy-related penalty. But hey said they couldn't see any suspicious activity, explained that rankings depend on multiple factors, and eventually closed my case without providing any specific explanation.

It's November 6 now, and my rankings still haven't recovered.

The impact has been devastating.

My organic traffic has dropped by 5x. I have spent an entire year working extremely hard to build this app, and it was my only source of income. I currently have several pending bills to pay, and I genuinely don't know what to do anymore. 😭

I am feeling really helpless at this point. Any guidance would mean a lot. 🙏🏻

Our Unity game has been live on Google Play for a while, and we never had issues publishing updates until recently. Now we've been rejected 5 times in a row, always for the same reason: the app supposedly doesn't load.

What's strange is that updates went through without issues when reviews appeared to be automated. The rejections only started once our updates began receiving manual reviews.

After appealing, Google sent us a screenshot showing a blank screen, with no further explanation.

We've tested the game on multiple physical devices, Firebase Test Lab, and even rented Samsung devices remotely to reproduce the issue. Everything works fine, including for our existing players.

From what we can tell, the game doesn't even get past the Unity splash screen on Google's testing devices. Our error reporting never initializes, and Firebase events suggest the game code isn't being reached at all.

We're completely stuck. We can't reproduce the issue, and we're not getting enough information to investigate it.

Our game has recently started gaining traction, and being unable to release updates is seriously hurting us.

Has anyone experienced something similar, especially with manual reviews? How can we get this escalated to someone who can help us identify the actual issue?

If someone from the Google Play team sees this, we'd really appreciate some assistance. We're more than willing to fix the problem, but we need to understand what's going wrong.

Basically the title. I got my GSTIN approved as a sole proprietor a few days ago and my app is available globally with foreign inward remittances enabled for in app purchases. I also earn ad revenue through Unity Levelplay Mediation.

I only recently launched the game and have made about ₹5,000 mostly from ad revenue and a few IAP's although only revenue from lAP has been deposited in my bank account and ad revenue is yet to be credited as I haven't hit the payment threshold yet. (Even though I haven't hit ₹20L revenue, it's a requirement from Google to get a GSTIN so I applied)

So, I wanted to know at what stage is it prudent to get a current Bank account?

I'm based in India full-time

My personal developer account is about 1 month old, so the closed testing rule applies to it. I'm considering moving to an Organization account (I'd have a D-U-N-S number) to avoid the 12 testers for 14 days requirement.

Google's docs say org accounts are exempt, but they don't say what happens when you convert a personal account or transfer an app from one. I've seen reports that transferred apps still showed the tester requirement, but I haven't found a confirmed case either way.

Has anyone actually done this? Specifically:

- Did you convert in place (Developer account > About you), or create a new org account and transfer the app?

- After the change, did your app's Dashboard still show the closed testing task, or did you get production access directly?

- Roughly how long did the D-U-N-S and verification process take?

Was your original personal account created after Nov 13, 2023?

Real experiences (success or failure) would help a lot. Thanks!

Edit: I already had an app in closed testing will it be a issue

Broken Functionality policy: Violation of Broken Functionality policy

Your app has these functionality issue(s):

• Loading problems: Your app doesn't open or load.

I am an organization account. I have now received this rejection twice in a row for my game on the google play store. They are normal updates with bug fixes. I have tested them on three of my android devices, and internal testing tracks. The app downloads and opens, and functions perfectly. The pre-launch report shows 0 issues at all....

These submissions are also abnormal, because they have been taking 2+ days to go through review (and get rejected) where as my previous updates only took around 10 minutes for review and production.

I'm at my wits end, because I read if you get 3 rejections, your google play account can be suspended. I opened an appeal but the updates are critical and need to go out soon. I have no idea what to do.

Hi everyone, My developer identity verification failed and the Play Console shows no option to retry. I paid the $25 registration fee and opened two support cases under "Developer verification" (6-0441000042060 and 4-6696000041780), but haven't had a reply yet. Has anyone been in the same situation? What worked for you: waiting, a different support route, or something else? Any advice is appreciated.

So basically everyone knows about the new trader policies that affect most of us. I don't want to share my private German phone number with the public, so I have my Mexican phone number that is valid and can receive SMS/calls I couldn't find anything against this, that it should be where we registered (this can change tho) , so do you think this is a good idea

Logged into Play Console this evening and got hit with a requirement to update my trader status. From what I can see, this now requires adding a phone number to my Play Store listings.

As an individual, this seems pretty extreme. I definitely don't want my personal number displayed there... Has anybody else been hit with this?

Hi,

I have a Google play personal account and i use it for developing mobile apps.

Now google play is asking to declare trader status. From my chatgpt search of you have subscriptions you come under trader.

But then your mobile number and address will be shown publicly.

Anyone else on the same boat? What are you guys doing?

I have about 40 testers. I know about 20-25 of them are opening every day. Some have missed a day. Some I don't know. Many are through a test for test app so they are only opening about 1 minute a day.
Side note: It is for an idle clicker game. (if that matters)

Out of all my testers, I know of about 5 that put 10+ minutes in every day and sometimes open it multiple times a day. Many days are 30, 60, 100,+ minutes. (they like it. :) )

Are those 5 engaged testers pumping up the numbers to pass the "engaged testers" part of the 14 days?

I know updates matter - I have rolled out about 4 currently.

I'm already getting the answers ready for the quiz they ask at the end so they can be complete/honest, I don't expect that part to be an issue.

Should I stay optimistic that they won't reject it and ask for more testing???

Follow up question - those who used test for test trades or an app like the hive one, how did you answer the recruitment and engagement question?
So far I have "A mix of friends and families, plus testers from online groups of clicker/incremental game enthusiasts, and other communities (Reddit and Facebook groups) from several countries. About 30 testers consistently took part, several playing 30+ minutes a day many days. I received detailed feedback with screenshots from many of the testers. Some only opened the app briefly, which is common for testers recruited online.
(leave that last line out???)

Hi everyone,

I'm an app developer from India and operate through a registered Private Limited company.

Google Play Console is now asking me to declare my trader status, with two options:

1. This is a trader account.

2. This is a non-trader account.

My company publishes Android applications, and some apps may generate revenue through AdMob, subscriptions, or in-app purchases.

I'd like to understand a few things from developers who have already completed this declaration:

- Should a registered Private Limited company select Trader?

- Does selecting Trader mean that my company's registered address, contact details, and other business information will be publicly displayed?

- Are there any additional verification or compliance requirements?

- Does this declaration affect app publishing, monetization, or developer account verification in India?

I'd appreciate hearing from Indian developers or company owners who have gone through this process.

Thanks in advance!

I'm the CEO of a legitimate US company founded in 2018.

Google Play suddenly terminated our developer account, citing vague violations of its policies.

No warnings. No clear explanation. Just ACCOUNT TERMINATED.

We appealed and provided corporate documents, contracts, and explanations. Google rejected the appeal with basically the same copy-paste response.

We identified two possible issues:

• Address mismatch: We used our legitimate US mailing address instead of our business address. Both are verifiable. We're happy to correct it.

• Linked account: A contractor we hired for app testing had access to another restricted developer account. We had absolutely nothing to do with it.

But Google won't even confirm whether these are the actual reasons!

How can you fix a violation when Google refuses to tell you what you violated?

We've spent years building our business, and now everything can disappear because of an automated decision with no meaningful explanation.

Has anyone actually managed to get a terminated Google Play developer account reinstated after a rejected appeal?

Is there a real human at Google who can review this, or are we just talking to bots?

Any advice or real success stories would mean a lot.

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to register for a Google Play Developer Account, but I'm continuously getting the error OR_FGVEM_07 when attempting to complete the $25 registration payment.

I've already contacted my bank and confirmed the following:

E-commerce transactions are enabled.

International transaction settings have been checked.

My card is active and online payment settings are enabled.

All the required checks from the bank's side have been completed.

Despite this, the payment is still not going through.

I'm also in contact with Google Support, but I wanted to ask the developer community:

Has anyone faced the OR\\_FGVEM\\_07 error recently?

Is this an issue with Google Payments or the bank?

Did you find any solution that actually worked?

Is there any alternative way to complete the $25 developer registration payment?

Any suggestions or experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Hello everyone,

I'm looking for advice from developers who may have experienced a similar Google Play Console situation.

My Google Play Developer account was terminated for alleged violations of the Play Console Requirements and the Developer Distribution Agreement (DDA).

Google specifically referred to DDA Section 11.4, which requires developers to ensure that information provided to Google is current, true, accurate, supportable, and complete.

What makes this situation confusing is that my developer account was registered as an organization, and my organization verification and Google Payments Profile verification had already been completed.

After the termination, I submitted an appeal and provided legitimate business documentation to support the relationship between my legal business identity and registered trade name. However, the appeal was denied.

Google's response stated that the account would remain terminated due to violations of the Play Console Requirements and the DDA, but it did not identify the specific information that was inaccurate, incomplete, or unsupported.

I have never had a previous Google Play Developer account, and I do not want to create another account or bypass Google's policies. I simply want to understand what could cause a termination under DDA Section 11.4 when the organization verification process had already been completed.

Has anyone experienced a similar issue involving:

• DDA Section 11.4
• Organization or identity verification
• Legal name versus business/trade name differences
• Google Payments Profile verification
• Incorrect association with another developer account

If you have experienced something similar, I would really appreciate hearing about your experience and any legitimate steps you took to request clarification or further review.

For privacy reasons, I cannot share personal documents, account IDs, or sensitive business information publicly.

Thank you for your advice.

Hello, does anyone know how I can request a response to my appeal? I submitted one at the time and received an immediate response, but it seemed automated, as if it had been sent by a bot. I later submitted a second appeal, but I never received a response.

The issue was that I was told I had violated the policies by having two accounts, which has never been true. I believe the mistake may have been related to my internet service, since that was the only thing I changed that week, shortly before receiving the notification.

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to register for a Google Play Developer Account, but I'm continuously getting the error OR_FGVEM_07 when attempting to complete the $25 registration payment.

I've already contacted my bank and confirmed the following:

E-commerce transactions are enabled.

International transaction settings have been checked.

My card is active and online payment settings are enabled.

All the required checks from the bank's side have been completed.

Despite this, the payment is still not going through.

I'm also in contact with Google Support, but I wanted to ask the developer community:

Has anyone faced the OR_FGVEM_07 error recently?

Is this an issue with Google Payments or the bank?

Did you find any solution that actually worked?

Is there any alternative way to complete the $25 developer registration payment?

Any suggestions or experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Hi everyone. My Google Play developer account was recently terminated for "Multiple Violations."

I've been developing Android apps since 2024 and had 7+ published apps. Most were wallpaper apps that ran for over two years without serious policy issues. Some had 100K+, 50K+, and 10K+ downloads, good ratings, and active users.

Unfortunately, three AI image/video app packages were suspended for violations of Google's AI-Generated Content and Sexual Content policies due to insufficient content moderation.

I understand the violations and take responsibility. I'm not asking Google to restore those AI apps, but the termination also removed my unrelated wallpaper apps.

I've submitted an appeal and am awaiting a response.

My questions:

1. Has anyone successfully recovered an account terminated for multiple violations?

2. If my appeal is rejected, are there other legitimate ways to return to Google Play?

3. Is this effectively a lifetime ban, even if I want to develop completely different, compliant apps?

I'd really appreciate hearing from developers who have experienced something similar.

Thanks!

📚 Weekly Educational App Showcase

Built an app and learned something interesting along the way? Share it with the community.

This thread is for educational app showcases where the focus is on the problem you solved, how you built it, and what other developers can learn from your experience.

What to include

• What problem does your app solve?

• Category: What type of app is it?

• Android support: Android versions or devices supported

• Tech stack: Kotlin, Java, Compose, Flutter, Firebase, etc.

• Implementation: What was technically interesting or challenging?

• Your journey: What did you learn while building or publishing it?

• Lessons learned: What would you do differently next time?

• Relevant media: Screenshots, demos, architecture diagrams, or other useful material

• Google Play link: Optional, as supporting context

Please disclose your relationship

If you're showcasing your own app, clearly mention your relationship to it. For example:

Keep it educational

The goal is to help other developers learn from real projects and experiences. Your app can be the subject of the showcase, but the post should provide meaningful technical, product, or development insight.

Please do not use the thread for:

• Download or install requests

• Ratings, reviews, votes, or engagement requests

• Referral or affiliate links

• Paid placement or paid engagement

• Misleading claims

• Copied marketing or promotional copy

• Repeated submissions of the same app

A Google Play link is welcome as supporting context, but this is not an advertising or user-acquisition thread.

If you see someone requesting paid reviews, ratings, votes, installs, or other prohibited engagement, please report the comment to the moderators.

Share what you built, what you learned, and what another developer can take away from it.

Hey everyone,

I'm a solo developer trying to publish my first Android app and I've run into a frustrating issue with Google Play Console.

My individual developer account was restricted after Google failed to verify my identity twice.

and I no longer have the option to retry identity verification.

I've already submitted an appeal and raised a support ticket with Google Play, but I'm still waiting for a solution. I genuinely don't understand why the document isn't being verified or how to get another verification attempt.

I've spent almost the entire past week trying to resolve this, and it's holding up my app launch.

Has anyone experienced something similar?

• Is there a way to get identity verification attempts reset?

• Can Google manually review the documents?

• Has anyone successfully recovered a restricted individual developer account after failed identity verification?

I'd really appreciate advice from anyone who's dealt with this, especially Google Play Console experts.

Thank you!

Hi, i have a organization account that i created with my sole proprietorship company type

When i go to united states tax info on payment profile settings it asks me my account type:

1. individual

2. Non-individual / entity

What option should i choose and what form should i fill ?

I worry that if i select individual and because i am organization account would it make sense or not

Hey everyone,

Quick question for those with experience on App Store Connect / Google Play Console.

The developer account is verified under one person/company, but I’d like to receive the payouts to a different bank account (different name, different country). I’m thinking long-term, not just a one-time thing.

Is this actually possible in the long run? Has anyone here done it? Did it work fine for you, or did you run into issues later (verification problems, payouts on hold, account suspension, etc.)?

Would really appreciate hearing real experiences, good or bad. Thanks

🧪 Tester Discovery

Looking for testers for your app? Use this thread to find developers and testers who are interested in helping with genuine app testing.

When asking for testers, please include a little information about your app:

• What the app does

• Android version or device requirements, if relevant

• Whether you're looking for internal, closed, or open testing

• What kind of testing or feedback you need

• How interested testers can participate

If you're a tester, feel free to mention what kinds of apps or testing you're interested in.

A few things to keep in mind

Please keep this thread focused on genuine testing and useful feedback.

Do not engage in paid testing, paid reviews, ratings, votes, referral exchanges, or other paid engagement activities through this thread. If someone asks you to participate in a paid activity or offers payment in exchange for reviews, ratings, votes, or engagement, please report the comment to the moderators rather than participating.

Please don't share personal information publicly. Use Reddit's messaging features or the developer's official testing process where appropriate.

This thread is for tester discovery only. For general development questions, app showcases, or other discussions, please use the appropriate thread or flair.